‘And your stalker? Are they any closer to catching her?’
He pushed himself up on the bed, shaking off the doom that had cloaked him since answering Helena’s call in the car. ‘The police have a photofit, which is a step forward.’
‘I’m sure they’ll catch her soon, though I suppose that will mean you have to say goodbye to that lovely bodyguard.’
Zac managed a small smile. ‘That wasn’t very subtle.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. I thought it was a very clever way of asking you if you have plans to see Kat when this is over.’
He raised his eyes to the ceiling, wishing it was that easy. The client–bodyguard issue would be over, but whatever else was holding Kat back – indifference, wariness, a mistaken belief that they weren’t compatible – that would still remain. ‘It’s not all in my hands.’
He heard the smile in Helena’s next words. ‘So I was right, you do like her.’
‘Yes, I like her.’ It had gone beyond like, but as the deeper feelings appeared to be all on his side, there was no point piquing Helena’s interest. ‘Tell me what you and William have been up to recently. Didn’t you go to Venice?’
***
By the time Zac made it back downstairs, only Debs was in the sitting room. Walking into the kitchen, he noticed the corned beef hash on the side, with a note giving instructions on how to heat it up.
Debs glanced up from the TV, which was currently showing a group of men and women in their twenties wearing very little and sitting around a pool, showing off the most appalling fake tans. ‘Kat’s in the study. You know, in case you wanted her for anything.’
‘Thanks.’
He needed to make peace, so after scooping a portion onto a plate and zapping it in the microwave, he grabbed a fork and carried it down the hallway towards the study. Swallowing down a quick mouthful, he knocked on the open door.
Kat, laptop in front of her, looked up from behind the desk. ‘Hi.’ She focused back on the screen. ‘Thought it was time I caught up with my emails. Well, those that aren’t trying to sell me bitcoins, or encourage me to join a sex romp with some dubious Russians. How’s the corned beef hash? Sorry it’s nothing fancy but I thought it would at least make a change from pasta.’
Shaking his head, he leant against the doorway. ‘No apology necessary. Your job description says you have to protect me, not feed me.’ He forked up another mouthful. ‘Besides, this is surprisingly tasty.’
‘Surprisingly? Well gee, thank you. Complimented and insulted in the same breath.’
The fact that she was even talking to him, never mind feeding him, told him he was a lucky bastard, and she had a very forgiving nature. ‘I wanted to apologise for my behaviour earlier, in the car.’
‘Before or after the phone call?’
Ouch. Shame rolled through him as he remembered he’d been a prick before the call, too. ‘Both.’ He swallowed another mouthful while he considered his next words. ‘The truth is, I’m not dealing with this situation well at all. The stalker, why they’re doing it, and what they want from me. Living out of a suitcase.’ He met her eyes. ‘Wanting something I can’t have.’ Inhaling a deep breath, he pushed off the doorframe. ‘But I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. Especially since you’ve just given me my first taste of corned beef hash.’
‘Apology accepted.’ Her features softened. ‘And if you need me to be a punch bag now and again, no problem. I can take it.’
‘Thank you.’ He didn’t want to hit her though, he thought despondently. He wanted to do far more pleasurable things.
‘About the phone call.’ It was typical of Kat that she brought it up rather than leaving the issue to fester. ‘Clearly there is something wrong, and while I don’t need to know what, I’d like to know if there’s anything I can do to help.’
For a split second, he thought of telling her. Thought how good it would feel to unburden himself to someone who might understand, even if it would change her view of him. But trusting her with that was a further step on the road to intimacy, and it was a road she’d made clear she didn’t want to travel with him. ‘Thank you, but I’m fine.’
He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment, but it could also have been annoyance. Or relief that she could get back to her Russian sex fests.
***
Sharing bathrooms was a tricky business. It was one of the reasons Kat and Mandy had decided to build Debs her own en suite when she’d turned eleven. That way they each had their own bathroom. Kat’s bedroom already had an en suite, and from that moment on, Mandy had been able to commandeer the main bathroom.
The bathroom that was now Zac’s.
It had been working out fine, until this morning, when Kat noticed a large pool of water on the floor of her en suite when she went to take a shower. It looked like the loo was leaking.
Deciding to use the one in Debs’s room instead, she knocked on the door, only to hear Debs turn on the shower.
Great. Waiting was a possibility, but time was ticking on, Debs was a notorious hot water hogger, and Zac, Mr Punctual, would have a fit if they didn’t leave at 7.30 a.m.
As he was always so punctual though – way beyond punctual, bordering on ludicrously early – he would surely have finished in the bathroom?
Tentatively she walked down the corridor. His room – Mandy’s room – was at the end, with the bathroom next to it on the right. All was quiet, and the bathroom door open. Thankfully she stepped inside it.
And screeched to a halt.
Zac stood at the sink, cleaning his teeth, a white towel around his hips, showcasing a neat, sexy backside. Above it, tanned, naked skin stretched across broad shoulder blades forming a triangle of masculinity that made every part of her sit up and take notice.
Their eyes caught in the mirror.
‘Crap, sorry. I didn’t realise you were in here.’
Slowly he turned, and greedily her eyes fixed on his chest. More precisely, on the drops of water that slid over the curve of his pecs, down the hard ridges of his six pack, and into the trail of brown hair arrowing beneath the towel.
A rush of heat pooled between her legs.
‘In the context of fairness, I think it’s only right that you take your shirt off, too.’
Guiltily her eyes jumped to his as a hot flush crept across her skin. ‘Sorry?’
‘I’m happy for you to stare at me,’ he pointed out mildly, ‘as long as I can do the same.’
‘Oh no, no way.’ She backed up a step, and then another. ‘I couldn’t possibly compete with all that.’
His right eyebrow shot up, and his mouth curved, just a little. When she checked out his eyes, they sparkled with silent laughter. ‘I beg to disagree.’ He placed his toothbrush back in the holder and leant against the sink, arms folded across his chest. Biceps bulging. ‘Though really there’s only one way to find out.’
‘I’ve got a leak. In my en suite.’ She seemed to have difficulty talking.
‘Oh dear.’ His eyes tracked around the bathroom. ‘You’re welcome to share.’
She swallowed, but the saliva had disappeared from her mouth. ‘Share, no. Use, when you’ve finished, yes.’
‘Oh, you don’t have to worry on my account.’ He turned again to face the mirror, his eyes finding hers in the reflection. ‘I’d rather share than be late.’
‘Of course you would,’ she muttered, throwing her towel onto the side of the bath. ‘Shout when you’ve finished.’
‘Oh, I’m done.’ But he remained where he was. A bulk of pure, rippling manhood.
‘You don’t seriously expect me to have a shower while you’re still in here, do you?’
He gave her another small smile in the mirror before bending to splash water on his face. ‘Expect, no.’ Dragging a hand towel from the rail, he dried himself. ‘Hope?’ This time he grinned right into her eyes. ‘A man can always hope. I’ll see you at 7.30 by the front door. Don’t be late.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’
>
When he’d left, she sagged against the door. There was no doubt what her top priority was today. Finding a blasted plumber.
Chapter 18
Buoyed by their encounter in the bathroom yesterday morning – Kat might say she wasn’t interested, but her eyes had said something else when she’d come across him – Zac decided he was going to make the most of the weekend. Sunday was already taken care of, unbeknown to Kat, and today. Well, he was going to head to the beach.
And because he knew Mark was busy, it meant Kat would have to come with him.
‘Seriously.’ Kat, dressed today in jeans rather than black trousers, though still with the obligatory black T-shirt, gave him one of her searching looks as she walked into the kitchen. ‘You want to head to Brighton for the day?’
‘The sun is out. It’s summer. The beach seems a good place to head.’
‘Sure, if you’ve got kids.’
He gave her a dazzling smile. ‘Excellent. We can take Debs. And she can take a friend, if she wants.’
‘Now wait a minute.’ He’d never seen so much suspicion in a pair of eyes before. ‘First you want to head to the beach. Now you’re playing happy families. Only we’re not a family. I’m your bodyguard.’
‘A fact you’ve made very clear.’ Choosing to ignore her, he took a bite of his toast. ‘I’ve arranged a picnic.’
‘For crying out loud.’ She made a strangled sounding noise. ‘This is getting worse. Next you’ll be telling me to pack my bikini.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t be averse to seeing you in one.’ He wasn’t a hundred percent sure what she said next, but it sounded suspiciously like a strong swear word. ‘Though wearing one is entirely optional,’ he added, before she burst a blood vessel.
‘Well, gee, that’s mighty kind of you.’ She ran a hand down her face in what he suspected was an attempt to gather herself, before muttering, ‘I need to see what Debs has planned.’
The girl herself chose that moment to wander into the kitchen and glare accusingly at Kat. ‘I couldn’t get back to sleep after you woke me when you used my shower.’
‘Sorry Munchkin. The plumber is coming on Monday.’
‘Your aunt is welcome to use my bathroom.’ Zac gave Kat an innocent look. ‘I believe yesterday proved there’s plenty of room in there for both of us.’
Kat did something very rare. She started to blush.
‘Err, is there something I need to know?’ Debs looked at them both questioningly.
‘Only that Zac is a major wind-up merchant.’ Kat gave him a dirty look before turning back to her niece. ‘I went to use the bathroom yesterday, not realising Zac was already in there.’
‘Oh.’ She started to giggle. ‘Was he, like, you know, in the shower or taking a p—’
‘No!’
Zac couldn’t help smirking at Kat’s horrified expression. It was rare to see her so unbalanced.
‘He was cleaning his teeth, that’s all. Now,’ she continued hurriedly, clearly anxious to end the line of conversation. ‘Zac wants to go to the beach today, so I need to go with him. He’s suggested you and a friend come along too, if you want to.’
‘Really?’ Her clear excitement was a pleasure to see. ‘That sounds well good. I’ll message Anna.’
As she darted back up the stairs, Zac glanced at Kat. ‘At least someone is looking forward to the trip.’
‘So it appears.’
Kat’s less than enthusiastic response to the whole idea started to prick at his happy bubble. ‘Come on, out with it. You’re not usually so hesitant about voicing your opinion.’
‘I’m just wondering what, exactly, you’re trying to do?’ She started to pace back and forwards. ‘First the sudden desire to head to the beach, then winding Debs up about what happened in the bathroom.’ Her eyes drilled into his. ‘It’s not a flaming joke, Zac. This is my job.’
‘You think I don’t know that? You’ve reminded me often enough.’ Irked, he jammed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Ralph Lauren would be livid.
‘Then what are you playing at?’
‘I’m an unwanted guest in your house. What am I supposed to do this weekend, Kat? Sit around and get in your way? I thought at least this way we could both have a reasonable day.’
She stopped the pacing. ‘And that’s all this is? It isn’t you trying to …’ She bit into her lip, glancing down at the floor before meeting his eyes. ‘Trying to take me on a date?’
It was exactly that, and it frustrated him no end that she clearly found the idea so abhorrent. ‘If it was, you’d run a mile, so no. It’s just a day at the beach.’
Her shoulders relaxed and she gave him a hesitant smile. ‘Okay then.’
Relief vied with simmering disappointment. He’d get his day with her, just not the way he wanted it. ‘Excellent. We can go as soon as the hamper is delivered.’
‘Hamper?’ She stared at him wide-eyed. ‘You’ve seriously ordered a hamper?’
‘Why not?’
‘One of those wicker jobs with the plates, cutlery, glasses and carefully folded check napkins?’
‘Yes.’ He was starting to feel defensive now.
‘We’re going to sit on Brighton beach eating a posh person’s picnic? Smoked salmon and roast beef with a side order of caviar. All topped off with, let me guess … champagne?’
Irritation pricked, along with a sense of acute disappointment. She was taking the piss out of him now. ‘Unless you have something against the idea.’
‘Of course not.’ She looked at him questioningly. ‘Where is this hamper of untold goodies coming from?’
And now he felt every inch the entitled prick she clearly thought he was. ‘Fortnum and Mason.’
‘Of course, it is.’ She half laughed, shaking her head. ‘Jesus, Zac. How much has that cost?’
‘It hardly matters, does it. I’m paying.’
‘But you didn’t need to do that. We’ve got a fridge full of stuff. We could have made sandwiches.’
He’d wanted the day to be special, though. Damn it, he’d wanted to treat her. ‘My mistake,’ he said stiffly. ‘Should there ever be another occasion, I’ll make sure to check with you first.’
‘No, it’s not that. It’s your day, you should do as you want.’ As if aware she’d upset him, she smiled. ‘I’m sure Debs and her friend will get a real kick out of it.’
But not you. Feeling foolish, he turned away from her and, for want of something to do, began to fill the kettle.
A moment later, her phone rang. Digging it out of her jeans pocket, she glanced down at the caller ID. ‘Sorry, I’ve got to get this.’
He thought he heard her say ‘Hello Mark,’ before she went into the study and closed the door behind her.
Maybe he’d be sharing the blasted hamper with Mark now, Zac thought grimly as he waited for the kettle to boil.
***
They’d walked along the prom, skimmed stones in the sea and eaten the picnic. Now Debs and Anna had decided to go on the pier, leaving Kat and Zac to chill out on the beach.
Breathing in a lungful of sea air, Kat lay back on the blanket. There was no sand between her toes, no swishing of palm trees. Instead seagulls squawked, fighting over a bag of discarded chips, and pebbles dug into her back, yet they hardly registered.
This, right now, felt like a little taste of heaven.
The sky was a stunning shade of blue, the sun was warm on her skin, and – forgetting who he was for just a moment – the man lying next to her, took her breath away. In chino shorts and a turquoise T-shirt that fitted snugly across his pecs, he was on a level of attractiveness far beyond anything this beach had ever seen. Even with a baseball cap jammed on his head, and shades covering his face.
‘Is that a sigh of boredom?’
As he angled his face towards her, Kat huffed out a laugh. ‘Hardly. It was an I’m relaxed, sigh.’
‘So this non date isn’t so terrible, after all?’
Her mouth itched to smile.
‘Not so terrible, no.’
‘And the picnic? Was that bearable?’
There it was again. The edge to his voice. She thought she’d heard it when she’d been taking the mick out of him earlier. ‘It was delicious.’ When he didn’t reply, she glanced over to find him staring up at the sky. ‘I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful before.’
‘No matter.’
But it did matter, she realised belatedly. Unwittingly, she’d hurt him. The private Zac Edwards was clearly more sensitive, perhaps more insecure, than his public persona suggested. ‘It was a sweet thought. Debs really—’
‘Enjoyed it,’ he interrupted. ‘You said. So did she. Several times, I believe.’
‘I enjoyed it, too,’ Kat added quietly, which finally got him to look her way. ‘It’s just I’m not used to being … well, I suppose cossetted. Fussed over. Wined and dined.’
‘You should be.’ His eyes pressed hers. ‘If I dated you, Kat Parker, I would wine and dine you every night.’
That’s not me. She was about to tell him, when she realised it would only encourage a conversation she didn’t want to have. Instead it was time to broach one they needed to have. ‘Do you remember the call I had earlier?’ She levered herself up onto her elbows. ‘It was from Mark. Apparently, a note from our lipstick friend was delivered to the Vision Films offices this morning, addressed to you.’
His body tensed. ‘And?’
‘It said You can run from the hotel, but you can’t hide.’
‘I see.’ He drew his hands up behind his head, his face turned once again towards the sky. ‘Was there anything else the pair of you discussed that concerned me?’
‘Whoa, hang on a minute.’ She sat upright and stared down at him, frustrated to find the sunglasses made reading his expression almost impossible. ‘Where did that come from?’
‘It came from you locking yourself in your study to discuss a matter that concerned me.’
‘I didn’t know it concerned you, until I spoke to him,’ she countered, wondering at his reaction. She’d expected him to be upset, worried, but not this. Not the anger, directed at her.
Up Close and Personal Page 15
